Process and apparatus for treating oils.



0. C. SWAN.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS P0P TREATING olLS,

APPLICATION FILED FEB.21, 1916.

`11,250,527 Patented Dec. 18, 1917.

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0. C. SWAN.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS PoR TREATING olLs.

l APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21. 1916. Patented Dec. I 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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OLIVER. c. SWAN, or DENVER, coLonADo, Assisi-Ion, nl? QIBECTAND MESNE lissrcrN-v MENTS, To THE SWAN rnocEss on. GOMPANY, A GQBBOBAHON 0F coLonADo.

rnocnss AND .ArrAnATUs Een TREATING onus.'

Specication' of Letters Patent.

Application filed 'ebruary 21, 1916. Serial' No. 79,680.

To all whom z' may comem:v

Be it known that l, OLIVER C. SWAN, a citizen of the United States, 'residing in the city and county ofDenver and Stateof Colorado, have invented certain new and :useful Improvementsv in :Processes and Apparatus for Treating Oilsg-and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,- and exact description of the invention', such. as will en'- able others skilled in the art to which it apperta-ins to make and use the same.

My invention relatesl to an improved process and apparatus for treatingoils, particularly lubricating and cylinder oils that have been used, for the purpose of reclaiming same by removing the impurities therefrom and restoring the oils to their normal, or even improved conditions, thereby renewing their effectiveness and prolonging indelinitely their possible duration of use.

It is believed to have been demonstrated, and is now understood, that oils do not wear out mechanically; and in tests employing my invention, the specific gravity, and viscosity (the primary lubricating value) of reclaimed oils -have even been actually increased, in comparison to that of unused oil of the same brand and grade.

Owing to the enormous loss, that ordinarily results from discarding this refuse oil, various means have been employed for ltering and purifying waste oils7 .especiallyin connection with the lubricating systems of large plants and factories.

However this may be, it is singularly true, that almost incredible losses are annually sustained in the waste, by disuse, of the.

heavy, viscous,k cylinder lubricating oils, the refuse from internal combustion, or gasiengines or motors, whether of the stationary or mobile typeys, or Whether aerial, marine or land motors,y wherein it is not feasible to in- -stall a refiningor purifying system.

While ,it will be understood that my invention/is not limited in its application to any specific use or source of waste oil supply, still for the purpose of simplicity in fully disclosin the invention, inthe following specification l will particularly refer to its use in connection. with the refuse oil taken from the engines of automobiles, the essential features of novelty of the invention being more succinctly stated in the appended claims.

When a machine is run into a lgarage for 'for more effective filtration.

-repairs to the engine or for overhauling, the

lubricating oil is drained olf andv allowed to run to waste.

Also the used lubricating oils, .especially from the cylinders and crank base of gasolene engines,- besides becoming densely discoloredand malodorous, are more .or less gummy, and are heavily charged with carbon,1 in suspension and other foreign substances manifestly detrimental, in that state, for use as a lubricant. In fact, in motor lboat and automob-ile engines, the oil becomes so heavily laden with carbon andimpurities that, for the most elfective operation, it is desirable to draw off the used oil and replace it b-y new oil, after the engine has been running for some time, say a pe- Patented Dec. 8,1917.

riod equivalent to a run of from seven hundred to one thousand miles. This drawn' olf oil is also allowed to run to waste.

With systems heretofore employed for purification purposes, it is believed to be impracticable to entirely eliminate the suspended carbon in used gas engine-oils, the suspended matter being substantially of the same specic gravity as the oils, so that, even after successive iltrations, microscopic 'in'- spection reveals minute particles of carbon.

By my invention, however, the successful reclamation of the used oil is in part duetto the introduction of a suitable-harmless treating agent, such' as kieselguhr into intimate commingled relation with the oil being reclaimed, for preparing fthe same en masse ln specifically disclosing the invention, l

lwill now' rst refer to the accompanying drawings, embodying my improved apparatus or system for carrying out the process, in

which drawings like characters designate' the same parts lin the several views, and Vin which- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of myl improved apparatus, or a systematic arrangement for carrying out my process, and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged-sectional view, taken.

lOO

-or lessy clarified oil.

the treating agent; 5 a flotation separator' and settling and collecting tank for the heavier precipitates; 6 a pressure filter, prefen.

ably of the well known type employing replaceable bag covered frames; 7' and 8 further filters and Washers substantially like the filter 2, but employing differentforms of- 'filtering media; and 9 and 10 a pair of dry filters, coupled up as a unit, and lhaving a storage chamber lfor the clear oil, to be drawn off at Will in' cans, barrels or other- Wise for use.

Where desirable in practice, the various receptacles and .filters -are 'provided with heating'coils, for promoting chemical action and increasing the fluidity of the heavy oils, illustrated at 11 only in the receptacles 3 and ltot the sectional view Fig. 2 ;A and similarly, the usual thermometers, Water, and oil gages (not shown) are employed. Also faucets 12 may be used Where desired for drawing off the o-il contents from any of the filters or receptacles, and also cocks are generally illustrated at 13 for withdrawing sediment and for washing out purposes. I

W'ith the exception of the distributing tank 1, the treatingtank 3, the receptacle 4f, and the arrangement of the flotation separator 5, the remaining filter elements of the system are of Well known constructions, and it is believed to be superfiuous to further illustrate and describe them in detail,

vOtherwise than to briefly say that the filter 2 is of that type in which the dirty oil is first, filtered through Waste or other meare substantially the. same as filter 2, excepting for the omission of the excess Water overflow arrangement, the Water in thev oil at this stage of the operation being practically eliminated.'` Filters 9 and 110 are merely dry typefilters, coupled up as a unit, and having a storage chamber for receiving the-pure oil. The filtering medium for the filter 7 may be animal bone black; that of the filter 8 sponge and granulated cork; and that of the filters ,9 and 10 linen terry and animal bone black,

The filters 7 and 8- intona? Short conduits 2O connect the compartments of the distributing tank 1 with the pipe line 18,suitable valves, generally designated by the numeral 21, being properly located and controlled t0 permit veryT clear oil, perhaps not necessary to chemically treat. to'fiow directly from the compartment 14, forinstance, into the filter 6, or the filter 7, if desired, while the oil from'either or both of' the compartments 15 and 16 may at the same time flow in the'opposite direction,

through the branch connectionl 22, of thev main line. 18, into the filter 2, and through theiwhole system. Obviously also a branch pipe might be disposed betweenwthe main line pipe and the treating tank direct, for conveying the collected oil from any of the compartments direct to the treating tank, Without passing through the first tilter or Washer.

23 is a pipe leading from the first filter 2 to the top ofthe treating tank 3, and 24 is a branch connection leading tothe bott/om of the tank. These have controlling valves 25 and 26, operated to permit the initially filtered and vvashed oil to flow into the treating tank 3 at its top or bottom.

27 is a pipe leading from the mixing receptacle 4,- for the treating agent, to the bottom forward portion of the tank 3, and 28 is a branch connection leading to the top of the tank. suitable valves 29 and 30 being employed to guide the flow from the recep tacle vto the bottom 0r top of the tank 3, as desired, and 31 designating a valve to control the amount of continuous discharge from the receptacle 4, proportioned to the condition of the oil in the `treating tank 3.

The ends of the pipes 23 and 28 discharge into a man hole opening in the top of the tank, which may have a funnel entrance 32, screened or otherwise.

The treating tank 3 may have any suitable means for agitating the contents of the tank to cause a thorough impregnation or intimate commingling of the oil and Water in the tank with the treating agent mixture from the receptaclesl. This agitating means is shown as comprising a rotatably mounted shaft 33, provided With radial blades or stirrers 34, driven in any suitable Way, shown conventionally by the band pulley 35.

Also the receptacle 4 is provided with an agitator for thoroughly mixing the treating agent with clean, clear oil. This agitator may consist of a rotatable shaft 36, shown conventionally as driven by the gearing 37, and having radially disposed supports 38 provided with depending blades or stirrers 39, cooperating with inwardly disposed baffles l0. Y 41 designates a pipe conduit leading from toward the top of the treating tank 3 to a funnel 42, capping the inlet elbow pipe 43, leading to the flotation separator 5.

The pipe 41 may have a'controlling valve 44, and a branch pipe 45 leads from the pipe 4l to the tank 8, just above the bottomof the latter, the object of which is, that when its controlling valve 46 is open, the contents of' the tank 3, above the sediment line may be drawn ofi' into the Aflotation separator 5.

The flotation separator tank 5 is provided at its bottom with forwardly incliningbaf? overflow 51, and'` thence through the waste water outlet 52 to a sewer or other discharge source.

A collecting trough or cup is provided to receive 'the overliow of the floated oil, and the upper open to-p of this cup is preferably disposed v slightly above the level of ,the water `overflow 51. This collecting oil cup may be, as shown at 53, located inside of the tank if preferred, and communicates, at its.

bottom, with an elbow outlet 54, and oil outlet pipe 55.

The oil outlet pipe 55,' through its branch 56, communicates with the bottom of `the pressure bag' filter tank, but where Athe branch pipe 19 is employed in the system, the pipe 55 may be extended as shown to meet .the pip'e 19, in which case the branch 56 may be dispensed with if desired. Also this extensionof the pipe 55 may be valved as shown, if desired.

-From the top of the pressure filter 6 (of the replaceable frame bag covered type) a pipe 57 leads to the inlet of the filter 7, through the line pipe 18, where the latter is employed, and this pipe 57 is provided with a controlling valve.

leads from the top of the filter 7 to the inlet of the filter 8, 'and from the outlet of the filter 8 a discharge pipe 61, having controlling valves 64 and 65, leads to the unit type dry filters 9 and 10, and discharges therein through the drip nipples 62 and 63 and the funnel openings 66, and afterl final dry filtration, the pure oil passes to a storage chamber within the filter casing, lfrom whence it may be drawn ofi", as desired. through the faucets 12.

In carrying out the process, thecollected oil is rst strained into the compartments of the tank 1, according to its degree of cleanliness.

Any oil that is so clear that it is not essential to especially treat the same maybe constrictly necessary, although desirable, to

ltreating .tank3, whereit is intimately comducted' directly from its compartment, through the pipe line 18, lto'the filter 7, or

by the branch pipe'1'9 to the filter 6, as de.- `sired, the proper valves 2.1 beingopenedand closed, respectively, toac'complish this end. 70

This will not interfere withl the conduct vof thej oil from the remaining compartmentl or vcompartments through the whole system.

It will also be understood that it is not initially filter and'wash the o il inthe filter 2', and the number offiltrations, after the pressure'filter 6, may bemodified or enlarged as desired..

However," describingthe process, step by step as illustrated, thevoil having been conducted 'tothe filter 2 and passed therethrough, to initially remove many impurities and bad odors, is then delivered to the mingled with the treating agent, through the. agency of any suitable agitation means, illustrated' in thev drawings by the stirrer bladesv 34 in the treating tank, the treating agent having also been lthoroughly mixed 49C with clean oil inthe receptacle 4.

The oil laden mixture then passes into the lflotation .separator 5, which has been previously filled with'water to the'line of over- ,known type, employing a series of' gauze covered replaceable frames, which are in turn independently incased in cloth filter bags, the oil percolating through the filter bag and gauze, bythe pressure of its own weight, into the interior of the-frames, from whence it is discharged, in a very thoroughly filtered condition, into a clear oil chamber, finally passing through the outlet pipe '57, and successively through the remaining filters of the series, which final steps are obvious.

Up to the point of filtration through the bag fra-me filter 6, the treating material has continued to act on the entrained oil to prac-Y tically absorb colloidal 'substances therein, and to some little degree has bleached the oil. It now, becomes necessary to separate the oil from its treating agent and the remaining insoluble suspended impurities.

Here again kieselguhr asl the treating agent becomes extremely effective as a physical agency of separation, the innumerablewalls of the microscopic cells providing .130

g partment.

an enormous area of filtering surface, relative to the size of--the ma,V and the multiform shapes and groupings of the cells, in overlapping and diverging relations, causing the penetrating fluid to filter. therethrough inmore or less diverted paths, so that theoil is substantially freed from all carb'onaceous or other impurities, including the kieselguhr with its retained impurities, as it, the oil, passes through the bag lters to the interior of the filterl frames, from whence it is discharged into a clear oil com- During the .operation of filtration vin the bag frame filter, it is obvious that the flow of the "treating agent will have been obstructed and halted, forming a layer or coating on the exterior surfaces of the filter bags of the frames, but the nature of kieselguhr is such' that,: instead of clogging up the pores of the filter cloths and retarding iiltratiOn, it acts reversely and very materially aids filtration, for it retains, the gummy matters and remainingimpurities, as the oil seeps through the sponge like .porous mass as a substantially purified and clarified liquid.

While the oil is now in a substantially pure and clear state, itis obvious that per.

fection may be approached by further filtrations through the remaining filters ofthe system as illustrated.

It may alsovbe stated that, where the oil from any of the compartments of the .dis-

tributing tank 1 is led direct to the pressure filter 6, it may still be acted on by the treating agent, although in a lessA degree than if passed through the prior steps of treatment.

Having thus described my process and the improved apparatus for carrying out the same, what I claim is l. The process of reclaiming-oils, which includes thesteps of subjecting a conglomerate mixture, of impure' oil and a, proportionate amountof a suitable treating substance, highly buoyant and freel absorptive as to oil, to a bath of water 1n aflotation separator, for initially precipitating the heavier clinging impurities while floating the buoyant residue; and then causing said oil laden residue to flow from said flotation separator, as a washed conglomerate mass, into association with a permeable retarding agency, the flow of said treating substance and the substantial-remainingrcolloidal and other suspended impurities being halted by said retarding agencywhilethe oil freely percolates therethrough ina puried state, substantially as described.

2. The process of reclaiming oils, which includes the steps of introducing the impure oil into a treating tank vwith a proportionate amount of 'a suitable treating substance, highly buoyant and absorptive as to oil, then thoroughly agitating the contents -of said tank to provide a freely flowing. conglomerate mixture; then flowing said mixture into' avbath of. water contained in a flotation separatorfor initially precipitating the heavier clinging impurities while floating the buoyant residue; and then causing said oil laden residue to flow from said -flotation separator, as a washedv conglomer` ate'mass, into association with a permeable retarding agency, the flow of said treating substance and the substantial remaining colloidal vand other `suspended impurities being halted by said retarding agency while the oil freely percolates therethrough in a puried state, substantially as described.

3. In a system for reclaim-ing 1 oils, the combination of atreating tank for. receiving lthe impure oil in conjunctionwith a proportionate amount of a suitable treating substance substantially as set forth.; an outlet for said tank; means for agitating the contents of said tank to provide a freely flowing conglomerate mixture of the impure oil and treating substance; a flotation separator tank in communication with the outlet of said'treating tankand itself having an oil mixture overflow, said separator tank being adapted to contain a substantial charge of water; and a filter tank in communication with the oil mixture overflow of said flotation separator tank and containing filtering means permitting of the percolation of oil therethrough while halting the flow of said treating substance and other impurities, the several elements cooperating and functioning substantially as described.

4. In a system for reclaiming oils, the combination of a filter tank for initially filtering the impure oil; a treating tank in communication with the oil outlet of said filter tank for receiving the partially-filtered oil anda proportionate amount of a suitable treating substance asf set forth; an outlet for said treating tank; means for agitating the contents ofv said treating tank to provide a freely flowing conglomerate mixture of the oil and treating substance; a flotation separator tank in communication with the outlet of said treating tank and itself havingan oil-*mixture overflow, said separator-tank being adapted to contain a substantial charge ofv water; a pressure filter, of the type having replaceable bag covered'frames, communicating with the oil mixture overflow of said separator tank and functioning asset-forth; and final filtering loo ing tank for thoroughly commingling the contents thereof; a flotation separator com'- municating .with said treating tank, and

having an oil mixture overiiow and an excess Water overow; and a lter tank in communication with the oilimixture overflow ofsaid otation separator, and containing filtering means permitting of the ltration ofv oil therethrough WhilehaItingthe flow of said treating agent,'substantially as described. Y v

6. In a system for purifying oil, the combination of a treating tank; a receiving and distributing tank, for the oil. to be treated,

communicating with said treating tank; a

supply receptacle, for a buoyant treating substance freely permeable as to oil, communicating 'with said treating tank; agitating means in said treating tank for intimately comminglingthe oil to be treated with said treating substance; a flotation separator communicating with said treating tank, having an oil mixture overflow and an excess Water overow; and a filter tankcommunicating with said'oil mixture overflow, and containing filtering means permitting k'of the filtration of oil therethrough While halting the flow of said treating substance,

substantially as described.

v7. A system for-purifying oil, including a receiving and distributing tank, having a plurality of com artments, a treating tank,

and a pressure ter', all communicating 1n therethrough in a the order named, and a by-pass conduit 1ead ing directlyfrom said distributing tank tosa1d pressure filter, suitable control cocks being disposed in the system, substantially as described.

' 8. A system :for purifying oil, including,

a receiving and distributing tank, having aplurality of compartments,.a treating tank, a pressure filter,and a final filterlng means, all communicating in the order named, and a l by-pass conduit leading directly from saidv distributing tank to said finalV ltering means, with a branch conduit leading from said by-pass conduit to said pressure filter, suitable control cocks being posed in the system, substantially as described.

9. The rocess of reclaiming'oils, Which includes t e steps of introducing the impure oil into a treating tank With a proportionate i amount Aofv a .suitable treating s ubstance,- highly buoyant. and absorptive as to oil; then thoroughly agitating the contents of said tankto provide a freely v:[iowing conglomerate mixture; causing said mixture to 1HOW into association 'with a permeable re'- tarding agency, the flow of said treating' 

